Chapter 577: Xiao Ze, Do You Want the Dragon Phoenix Bloodline?
To prevent any mischief from the surrendered Tai Xu Ancient Dragon clan members, Zi Yan imposed restrictions on those who were still conscious. Those who could remain conscious under the assault of the "Hellish River of Netherworld Wrath" were certainly not weak and thus more capable of causing trouble. Especially since, aside from Zi Yan and Xiao Ze's group, Dragon Island's overall strength was weaker than that of the three islands' coalition. Accepting their surrender posed a significant risk. If these individuals were not genuinely sincere, their rebellion could potentially destroy Dragon Island entirely. Given these circumstances, surrender was not a decision to be taken lightly, and Zi Yan was well aware of this.
The coalition from the three islands had no objections—after all, with the likes of Zi Yan and Xiao Ze, who could easily obliterate them, raising objections in front of such formidable individuals would be foolish.
After settling all matters, Zi Yan finally took Xiao Ze and the others back to Dragon Island. She also restored Dragon Island to its original location. Dragon Island floats in the void and is not fixed in one place, constantly drifting. This is why outsiders find it difficult to locate Dragon Island. Even if outsiders have been to Dragon Island once, without leaving a specific force coordinate for guidance, returning to the same spatial coordinates next time would yield nothing.
"Xiao Ze, hehe, guess how strong I am now!" Sitting in a quiet valley on Dragon Island, Zi Yan asked Xiao Ze with a smile. Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin both smiled, although envy was evident in their eyes. Following Xiao Ze indeed involved great pressure; no matter how hard they tried, it was difficult to surpass him. And now, it seemed Zi Yan had managed to do just that with the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit.
"Mid-level Dou Saint! Late four-star Dou Saint! You've really taken a huge step up, and it's a solid and stable one at that. I'm truly envious," Xiao Ze remarked, observing the pride on Zi Yan's face that practically begged for compliments. He didn't want to burst her bubble, his tone genuine and admiring.
"Hehe, the Dragon Phoenix bloodline is indeed very powerful. After the bloodline evolution, my strength has greatly increased. I thought I'd never be able to surpass you again after you advanced beyond me in the realm of Dou Qi."
Zi Yan's face showed contentment, especially after hearing Xiao Ze's envy. She seemed very pleased. Suddenly, Zi Yan leaned close to Xiao Ze, her fragrance enveloping him, unabashedly pressing her impressive figure against him.
"Xiao Ze, do you want me to share some of the Dragon Phoenix bloodline with you, so you can have it too?" While Zi Yan spoke in a teasing tone, her words were earnest.
Xiao Ze and the others were stunned. Bloodline power is incredibly important to magical beasts, essentially the source of their strength. Sharing Dragon Phoenix bloodline with another person would mean giving up more than just a little of this vital essence, a cost that Zi Yan couldn't just recover from with a few days of rest.
Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin were surprised by Zi Yan's willingness to sacrifice, but Xiao Ze gently pushed Zi Yan's head away, saying, "Don't think about such things. The Dragon Phoenix bloodline is very important to you but merely an embellishment for me; it wouldn't provide significant benefits."
Xiao Ze could see Zi Yan was serious. If he agreed, she would share her Dragon Phoenix bloodline without hesitation. But he didn't need it. Even without considering the feedback rewards that might allow him to possess a Dragon Phoenix bloodline, he wouldn't gain power at the cost of harming a friend.
"But the Dragon Phoenix bloodline is all because of you. If it weren't for the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit, I couldn't have achieved it. I want to share everything with you; I want you to have the Dragon Phoenix bloodline too!"
Seeing Zi Yan's earnest expression, Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin seemed puzzled; it almost felt like she was confessing her feelings. "But I can't accept it if it means diminishing your potential to give me the Dragon Phoenix bloodline!" Xiao Ze firmly shook his head, stopping Zi Yan from speaking further by revealing his ultimate argument.
"Moreover, you might not know, but I am a descendant of the ancient Xiao clan, having accepted the last of the Xiao clan's bloodline power. The Dragon Phoenix bloodline, which rivals an Emperor's bloodline, cannot coexist in one person with another bloodline of this caliber. Even if you shared it with me, it would only cause my demise."
Xiao Ze slightly stimulated his bloodline power, causing the clan mark on his forehead to shine brightly, demonstrating his point. Zi Yan stared at Xiao Ze's forehead, her inherited memories indeed containing knowledge of the ancient races, which were powerful due to their Emperor's bloodline, ancient and formidable. Even the Tai Xu Ancient Dragon clan was wary of such races.
"So that's why you never activated your bloodline power before?" Zi Yan asked after Xiao Ze explained, nodding in understanding. She seemed somewhat disappointed, really wanting to share her Dragon Phoenix bloodline with Xiao Ze. But under the current circumstances, with Xiao Ze already possessing an Emperor's bloodline, having two such bloodlines coexist would indeed be lethal for him.
"That means you've been natural enemies with the Soul Clan?" "Yes, that's why I formed the Pill Alliance, uniting other forces to oppose the Soul Hall and the Soul Clan."
"What's all this? What have you all been through while I was in retreat? Tell me everything!" Zi Yan, bewildered and extremely curious, asked Xiao Ze.
Away from the Tai Xu Ancient Dragon folk, Zi Yan, among friends, no longer maintained her imposing demeanor. Instead, she was as spontaneous and expressive as ever. Xiao Ze and the others took turns narrating their adventures during Zi Yan's retreat, which she found astonishing, regretting missing so much.
"That won't do. You've helped me so much, and I haven't been able to do much in return. I need to do something," Zi Yan declared after hearing their stories, patting her chest and addressing Xiao Ze.
"I'll have the Tai Xu Ancient Dragon clan also form an alliance with the Pill Alliance to oppose the Soul Hall and the Soul Clan! The Tai Xu Ancient Dragon clan may not have many, but we can still muster a few Dou Saints. And now that I've reached the late four-star Dou Saint level, I can hold my own against the Soul Hall."
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